Fate: Cruel War
by Metatron's Prophet
Summary: The Holy Grail War in a parallel world. Some characters from the original series, but mostly OC. I even created some of my own Heroic Spirits. I used Gilgamesh's personality for the Servant introduced in Ch.3
1. Prologue-Chapter 1

Prologue

In the world know as Terra, there is a sort of tournament that takes place every century or so. It is known as the Holy Grail War. Seven people summon seven Heroic Spirit, called "Servants." One for each of them, then use these Servants to fight for the Holy Grail. Once six of the Servants are defeated and killed, it is said that the Holy Grail will appear and grant the master of the remaining their heart's greatest desire. For a millennia, people have struggled over the grail, but no one has ever obtained.

This story begins with the summoning of the seven Servants, each by a unique master.

Chapter 1: Caster

For five years, Shay Kurosaki has lived in Koura's Imperial Prison; sentenced to spend the rest of his life there as punishment for the murder of his father, Issei Kurosaki.

Shay now sits in his cell, listening intently to two guards gossiping outside his cell. Ever since Shay was sent to this prison at the age of twelve, he has had many fights with both the guards and the other prisoners. On his first day, a group of prisoner tried to take his lunch. They ended up getting their teeth knocked out. Not long after, more prisoners started trying to defeat him. Eventually, all the other prisoners began to fear and avoid him. He is now called the Battle Demon, because in every fight Shay has a wild and happy expression on his face. The cell Shay is sitting in was made especially for him. There are shackles around his ankles and wrists. Food his carefully shoved across the floor of the cell by the guards because they are afraid to get near him. When he needs to relieve himself, he is given a bucket and the guards assigned to him are doubled. Not once has Shay complained about his current living conditions.

Shay has long black hair that is very messy. His hair is long because the prison's warden decided it was necessary to keep any and all sharp objects away from Shay. The boy himself did not care. He knew he did not need a weapon. To Shay, his body was his greatest weapon. His body had been honed through all fights along with his self-imposed training.

Shay has pale skin as a result of lack of sunlight. The cell he lives in has no windows and the only light source is the lanterns outside of his cell. The prison guards do not talk to Shay unless it is necessary to do so. Also, the guards avoid eye-contact with Shay. Something about his gaze makes people tremble. No matter who looks Shay in the eye, they all feel a surge of fear. Some guards refuse to so much as acknowledge his existence, just as the two guarding are.

"Hey, did you hear about what the warden is doing tonight?" One guard asked the other.

"Yes," the other replied. "I heard Ian say that the warden is going to perform the Summoning Ritual for the Holy Grail War. That is probably why he has sealed off the west wing of the prison."

"So, the rumor that the warden came from a highly renowned mage family was true?" The first guard said.

"Ya, seems like it." The other answered. "But I still can't believe anyone would want to take part in that horrendous war. Everyone knows how the last one ended. All the Masters, all the Servants, along with the entire city of Yuyuki were burned to nothing in a horrible blaze. No one even knows exactly what happened because there were no survivors. Who wants to risk that happening again. If you ask me, the Holy Grail War should be forbidden."

"Well, as I understand it, if the no one takes part in Holy Grail War when the grail decides the war is going to take place, the whole world will face total devastation, or so the legend says." The first guard said. "So, I guess all of us who live in the world have no choice but to put up with it. Plus, the prize for winning is pretty tempting. To have your heart's greatest wish granted."

"What was that?" An unfamiliar voice spoke.

For a moment, they were confused before realizing the source of the voice. It was Shay. Just has the turned to him, the door to his cell was thrown off its hinges and into the wall across from it. The guards both fell backwards in shock with terrified expressions on their faces. Then, Shay walked out of his cell; he was calm, as if he were just waking up from a pleasant dream.

"Tell me, is what you just said true?" Shay asked. "That the victor of this "Holy Grail War" has their wish granted?"

"Y-yes!" A guard screamed before running away as fast as he could.

"How did you break the door down?" The remaining guard managed to ask.

"Oh, I kicked it down after amplifying my physical strength a little with magic." Shay replied with a smile.

"Liar." Another guard said as he approached him.

Shay recognized him; towards the end his first year in prison, Shay broke this guards left arm. His name is Hank Rexting, a complete jerk who bullied the weaker prisoners to prove his power over the inmates of this prison. As one could imagine, he missed judged Shay as a lucky punk with no real fighting ability. To Shay, it was a pretty boring fight which only lasted a minute. Since then, Hank has done his very best to make life difficult for him.

"It is true that you come from a family renowned for its mastery of martial arts," Hank said. "However, you know nothing of magic. I will show you true magic."

Hank lifted his wooden staff and aimed one end of it at Shay.

"Burn in hell, scum!" Hank shouted as a large ball of fire burst from his staff.

Shay did not even try to dodge the attack. For a moment, it seemed that Shay was being turned into ash. Hank laughed with cruel joy, until he noticed that Shay had withstood the blaze. He stood there, completely unfazed.

"How?!" Hank shouted as he blasted him with more fireballs. "You can't use magic!"

"Yes, I can." Shay replied.

Then, he ran straight through the flames and kicked Hank in the chest. Already, there were more guards heading in Shay's direction, full armed. At the same time, Shay calmly walked towards of the prison's west wing with a smile on his face. One the way, he grabbed one of the guards' swords and used it to cut his hair.

Meanwhile, the warden Reiji Akanaba, was finishing his preparations for the Summoning Ritual. He had drawn the magic circle in pig's blood. He memorized the incantation necessary to summon a Caster Class Servant. He even had some of the prison guards set to prevent anyone from intervening. Reiji is a chubby man at the age of twenty-three. His family had given him the position of prison warden on his eighteenth birthday. That was the same day they declared that his little brother would become the family heir.

Reiji's family believed that he was inferior to his brother, Reira. Reira was born with incredible talent. That has been obvious since he began studying magic. By the time he was eight, Reira had surpassed Reiji in the art of magic. Even though Reira is only sixteen years old, he has already graduated from the same magic academy that Reiji did not even get to attend until he was sixteen. These days, there is only one thing that Reiji cares about. Which is surpassing and then defeating his little brother. Since his brother would also be participating in the Holy Grail War, it would be a perfect opportunity to show Reiji's superiority.

Suddenly, he heard a loud sound. A second later, a nearby wall collapsed. When the dust cleared, Shay stood there and behind him were at least a dozen unconscious guards on the ground. Shay, himself, was completely unharmed. Reiji ordered the guards to deal with him. They charged at him all at once, however Shay easily countered all of them with nothing but his fists. Shay's punches were so fast, it was impossible to see how many blows he landed or where.

"Damn," Reiji cursed. "I guess as the saying goes, if you want something done right, don't entrust the task to incompetent weaklings."

"I wonder if you really can beat me." Shay replied with a smirk. "Sure, you're stronger than the rest of the prison staff, but I have never seen you fight. I am curious about your capabilities."

"I could care less about your curiosity, murderer." Reiji said. "I read your file. Someone who would kill their own crippled father could never defeat me. Now, I'll give you a chance to return to your cell. Unless you take it, I will have to kill you."

"You know, it has been a while since I felt this emotion." Shay replied. "I am very … angry!"

Shay then leapt forward at Reiji with a fierce expression on his face. In response, the warden activated a hidden magic trap he had set-up earlier. A magic circle appeared around Shay's feet and chains shot up out of it, then wrapped around Shay. He was almost instantly restrained.

"Just wait there a moment," Reiji said. "I just had a great idea. I will have my Servant put an end you for me. I perfect chance to see the capabilities of the Caster class."

Shay simply stayed silent. He did not even look Reiji in the eye.

Reiji began the Summoning Ritual. "Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill your mind, body and soul with nothing but your heart's truest desire. Come forth, so that we may slay our enemies and each obtain our greatest dream. Now, I order you, appear before me!"

When he finished chanting, there was a quiet crackling sound that slowly grew louder. Purple lightning formed inside the circle. Then a cloud of blue smoke burst from the center. Once the smoke cleared, a figure now stood in the circle. It was a beautiful woman with long red hair, soft brown eyes, smooth skin, and well built body. Her clothing consisted of a black cloak, sandals, a long gray skirt, and in her hands she held a locked book.

"I ask you," Her voice was like a melody. "You who manifests me in the class of Caster, are you my master?"

Reiji felt a surge of joy with this accomplishment. He had summoned a Servant. With this Servant at his side, Reiji planned to defeat his brother and win the Holy Grail War. Soon, everyone would have to acknowledge his greatness.

"I am-" Reiji started to say, but before he could finish, someone behind him grabbed his throat.

"Sorry, but I will be the Master of this Servant." Shay said.

 _Impossible,_ Reiji thought. _Those chains should have been able to hold back a rampaging dragon for hours, yet this guy had broken them in just a few mere seconds?! What is he?!_

"Good-bye, warden." Shay said. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Then, Shay stabbed him in the heart with his own dagger. Instant death.

"Are you my Master?" The woman asked Shay.

"Yes, I am." Shay replied.

At that moment, a red symbol appeared on the back of his right hand. For a second, Shay felt an odd warmth fill his body. It reminded him of something, but he could not recall what.

"Hey, what is your name?" Shay asked.

"Huh?" The woman responded. "Why do you ask? I am simply a tool for you to use to obtain the Holy Grail. Why do you need to know my name? Oh, I see. That man you just killed is the one who summoned me and he did not tell you who I was. So, you wish to know to formulate a proper strategy."

"Actually, I just wanted to know because calling you "Servant" makes me uncomfortable." Shay replied. "Besides, you are not a tool. You are obviously a person."

The woman made an odd expression, like she was confused and happy simultaneously.

"Truthfully, I'd like it if you just called me Caster; my servant class." She said. "My name is … well, it isn't something I-"

If your don't want to tell me your name, then don't." Shay said. "If you want me to call you Caster, then I will. But in exchange, you call me Shay, not Master."

"Agreed." Caster replied. "If that is what you want."

"Now, let's get out of this foul place." Shay said.

"Very well," Caster replied with a smile. "Allow me, Shay."

The two of them then disappeared in a flash of light.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Lancer

What is a princess? Answer; a tool used by countries for political gain. Every country in Terra that has a system of nobility or royalty uses their women as a means of settling arguments and furthering their own power. The women have no power or freedom when they are born to princesses. All they can do is smile, look pretty, and marry anyone they are told to.

Even when she was a child, Princess Elaine of Koura knew how little freedom she had. Her life was basically that of a caged bird. She has always hated that she was born the second daughter of the king of Koura. Someday, Elaine would be married off for the furthering of Koura's political power. As the saying goes, fate is a cruel mistress. After her older sister, Elena, was married off, Elaine swore she would somehow break free from her fate and find freedom.

However, only a few days ago, her father announced that Elaine would marry the first son of Koura's ally nation, Gouma. She had not even heard about the engagement until the announcement. It was her worst nightmare come true. Elaine had no idea what to do. If she did not do something, she would never know freedom.

Elaine's fiance's name is Silvio Gouma. He has blonde hair, brown eyes, is short, despite being twenty years old, and slim build. No matter the occasion, he always wore the fanciest of clothes. To Elaine, he has always seemed arrogant, snarky, and cowardly. He was the last person she wanted to marry.

Elaine is sixteen years old, has purple eyes, brown hair and stands almost a six inches over Silvio. She is constantly forced to wear make-up, jewelry, and pretty dresses. In her closet, Elaine as hidden some men's clothes she stole from her brother's room. She has sometimes sneaked out of the castle at night through a secret passageway she found dress in those clothes. To Elaine, those were some of the happiest nights of her life. In the village below the castle, she would look at books, play games with some children, walk around, etc.

This night, as Elaine had found herself unable to sleep, she had decided to do something bold. She was going to ask her father cancel the engagement. Quietly, Elaine walked to the throne room. Just as she was about to open the door, she heard voices. It was her father, King Koumei, and Silvio. Elaine decided to eavesdrop on them.

"I hope you understand your obligations, Prince Silvio." The king said. "In this Holy Grail War, you must obtain the grail and prevent a tragedy like what happened in Yuyuki. You will have the aid of this entire country in your mission. In return, I will not only give you my daughter, but I will step down and declare you king."

Elaine had heard of the Holy Grail War. A war where the victor's greatest wish is granted.

 _Their greatest wish granted …_

"Worry not, King Koumei." Silvio replied. "With the Servant you will provide me, along with your country's aid, I swear I will obtain the Holy Grail."

It was then that Elaine made a decision. She would take the grail in order to have her wish granted. With the grail, she would be freed from the fate of being a princess.

The next day, Elaine went down to the Royal Sorcerer's chamber with a bottle of wine. The Royal Sorcerer is wielder of magic who serves Koura's ruling family and advises the country's ruler in all matters concerning magic. He is a chubby old man who has liver spot on his forehead and no hair. From what Elaine has heard, he cannot resist anything alcoholic. Too bad he did not know that she had mixed in a sleeping potion in with the wine. That part of Elaine's plan was pretty easy; the moment the sorcerer saw the bottle, he gulped down the whole bottle faster than Elaine could blink. Once he was asleep, Elaine went to work looking for anything to do with the Holy Grail. This was the hard part. After she searched for a hour, she let out a frustrated sigh.

"How could anyone find anything in this mess?!" Elaine complained.

The room was the very definition of "disorderly." Books were stacked randomly in random places. Empty bottles of wine and barrels of beer were everywhere she looked. Vials and beakers littered the floor. Also, the place stank so bad, Elaine had to breath through her mouth.

Elaine spent another hour before she found a book titled, "Story, Rules and Methods of the Holy Grail War." She was found behind a pile of bottles. The conveniently self-explanatory title. Quickly, Elaine grabbed the book and headed to her room. She was careful not to be seen with the book. There was no telling how Elaine's father and fiance would react to her planning to take part in the Holy Grail War. Once she reached her room, she told her maid that she wanted to be left alone until tomorrow morning. Then, Elaine locked the door to her room and began reading the book she had "borrowed." She was done shortly after nightfall.

"So, I need to draw a magic circle in blood, huh." Elaine said to herself.

Even though the blood did not need to be her own, Elaine had no other source. Using one of her hairpins, she pricked her finger again and again until she had finished the magic circle. According to the book, a Master can summon a Heroic Spirit of one of seven classes. Each class can only be summoned once to one master in each Holy Grail War. Each Servant is chosen based on compatibility with the Master, no matter what class they are from. However, if one possesses something connected to a certain Servant from a class that has not been summoned, they can then summon that one specifically. It was clear which method of summoning Elaine would use.

"Now, what class of Servant should I use?" Elaine pondered. "If I pick one that has already been summoned, I will have to repeat the process. Meaning I would have to draw a whole new magic circle. That would be a pain."

Elaine did not want a handsome prince-like character who would act all charming and say things like, "Worry not, I will protect you." She really could not stand those types, so Elaine decided on the Berserker class. This particular class is known for its raw power and insane nature. Seemed like a perfect fit for her, because Elaine wanted to an ally that would crush the other Servants for her. Not someone who would think her incapable of fighting, or of doing anything alone, just because of the fact she is a woman. The classes that would most likely give her a Servant like that are Saber, Archer, and Lancer.

"Alright, time to get started," Elaine said with a smirk.

She began the incantation. "Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill your mind, body and soul with nothing but your heart's truest desire. Come forth, so that we may slay our enemies and each obtain our greatest dream. Now, I order you, appear before me!"

There was a loud crackling noise and black smoke began rising from the circle. The smoke quickly became so thick that Elaine could not see inside the circle. Then, the smoke disappeared in an instant. Now standing within the circle was a man with long-purple hair, a scar across his left cheek, muscular body, and sharp gaze. In his hands, he held an iron spear with a red cloth tied to it just beneath the blade. His clothing consisted of a black iron chest plate and red pants. His feet were bare and his arms were completely exposed.

Also, a symbol appeared on the back of Elaine's right hand, like a tattoo. It look like two spears colliding in front of a circular shield.

"I, Isao Kachidoki, Servant of the Lancer class, ask you," he said. "Are you my master?"

"Wait a second, did you say you are of the Lancer class?" Elaine asked.

"Yes, I am a Lancer class Servant." Isao answered. "You did summon me, did you not?"

"Well, ya, I summoned you, but I was trying to summon a Berserker." Elaine replied.

Unable to understand what she had done wrong, Elaine looked to the book. Then, she realized that the Berserker symbol had a stain on it which made it look very similar with the Lancer symbol. This was quite frustrating.

"Hey, uh, Isao, sir." Elaine said. "I did not mean to summon you. Sorry, but could you just return to your place in the afterlife so I can summon a Berserker."

Isao was not listening to her. He was studying her room. From what he saw, Isao deduced this girl was of a noble, or perhaps even royal, family. Her room had two exquisite portraits, a finely crafted desk, a large bed, and a balcony. Isao sighed in annoyance.

"Hey, are you listening to me!?" Elaine shouted.

"I agree that this is clearly a mistake." Isao replied "I bet you mess up the summoning ritual, because that is the only way you could have summoned me. I detest those of wealth and nobility. There is no way that we are compatable."

"Oh, good, then you will have no problem returning to your previous realm of existence." Elaine said. "Wait, did you just insult me?!"

"I am afraid that I can not return to the Hall of Heroes, the realm in which all Heroic Spirits dwell." Isao replied. "A Servant, once summoned, can only be returned through death, and if I die, then you will have no means of participating in the Holy Grail War."

"Damn it!" Elaine screamed. "I can't believe because of one stupid mistake, I am stuck with this jerk! How can this be?!"

Isao sighed again. "Tell me, why is a privileged little girl like yourself taking part in the Holy Grail War? What could you possibly have to wish for? From what I can tell from your room, you live a life many other girls would kill for."

"Shut up!" Elaine shouted. "You don't know the first thing about me! You think I want this life?! A life where I am treated like an infant, constantly told what to do and never able to make my own choices?! A life where I cannot even choose who I marry?! No one in their right mind would want this life! I am taking part in this Holy Grail War so I can escape my fate!"

For a brief moment, Elaine thought she saw a look of shock and sorrow on Isao's face. However, it lasted but a moment, so she assumed she had imagined it.

Suddenly, there was a pounding at Elaine's door. When she failed to answer, the door was broken down by Imperial guards that were on the other side. All of them were dressed in the traditional red armor that was worn by Koura's soldier. About five of them quickly entered her room, and she could see more outside. One of the maids must have heard her shouting or the crackling noise from the summoning ritual, then sent for the guards.

"You!" One of the guards pointed his sword Isao. "Step away from the princess!"

 _Oh, no!_ Elaine thought. _It is all over now. Father will surely punish me for this. I will never be able to taste freedom. I will forever be a prisoner to my fate!_

As one of the guards hurried to her, Isao sprang into action. He jumped and kicked that guard so hard that actually went through the brick wall behind him. The other guards charged at him, but he deflected their attacks with his spear, then counterattacked with his legs. Once the first five were unconscious, more began to enter the room. However, they were now more cautious of Isao. Suddenly, he grabbed Elaine by her waist, then dropped his spear to the floor. At first, the guards were confused, but decided to attack now that their opponent was unarmed. Unfortunately, they did not know of Isao's power. His spear flew up from the floor and disarmed all of the guards before they could even blink. Then, the spear destroyed the door to the balcony. It was then that Isao picked up Elaine and ran towards the balcony.

What happened next made everyone's hearts skip a beat; and that includes Elaine. Isao jumped off the balcony. Elaine shut her eyes and screamed for a moment, before realizing that she did not feel as though she was falling. Once Elaine opened her eyes, she saw that they were riding Isao's spear like a surfboard. She looked back at Koura's Royal Palace, and she saw how beautiful it and the town below looked from this perspective. The castle's outward appearance was made entirely of gray stone with lanterns and torches light by every window. In the town below, Elaine saw houses, carriages and people. However, they were so small they looked like little insects to her. It was truly beautiful. Then, she looked up at the moon that shined bright as ever and surrounded by countless stars. Being so high in the sky, made them seem even more wondrous.

"Hey, it just occurred to me, I never got your name." Isao said.

"Elaine," she said with a kind smile. "I am Elaine."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Saber

What is desire? It is what a person longs for due to their personal experience and mental state. A person can desire many things; love, revenge, pleasure, etc. This is natural for all living creatures. What is unnatural is a person who has no desires and simply does what he is told to do by certain people. Such a person is practically a machine.

Reira Akanaba is one such person. Since he was young, Reira has been an incredibly talented sorcerer. His family has always been proud of his talent, but Reira has not. Not once has he ever felt any joy from practicing magic. His family believes Reira is most suited to become the head of the Akanaba family, but Reira does not desire this. Truthfully, Reira has no idea what he wants; he never has. He mastered many mystic techniques in his early life, such as necromancy, alchemy, shadow, divine, etc. However, he only mastered these arts because his father, Reo Akanaba, wanted him to. It seems that Reira only does as his father says.

No one knows how empty Reira feels inside. He cannot remember a time when he felt joy, or anger, or sadness, or any emotion. The only reason no one has ever realized how emotionless Reira is is because he learned how to act at a very young age. It has always been easy for him; putting on a smile, laughing, even shedding tears. Unfortunately, it is all an act, a performance that Reira puts on for those around him.

Today, Reo has given his son a new task. This task is to win the Holy Grail War, then, by using the grail's power, ensure wealth and prosperity for the Akanaba family for all of time. Reo has given Reira a catalyst with which he is to summon a Servant that Reira would use to kill all the other Servants. The catalyst is a sheathe with a crest on it that resembled a purple rose. Every citizen recognizes this crest, for it is of an ancient king who ruled Koura. When he took the throne, Koura was but a small nation with little military power. Under this man's rule, Koura expanded and conquered four neighboring countries. When this fearsome king attempted to conquer the Maya kingdom on the other side of the Sinful ocean, he was assassinated while sailing to battle. Without his leadership, Koura's military expansion came to an end. Such a shame, for under his rule, Koura might have even conquered the world.

"Reira, I assume you have memorized the summoning incantation?" Reo inquired.

Reira and his father were in the Sacred Sanctuary of the Akanaba family. It was a vast room hidden under a forest that is owned by the family. It is decorated with many statues, sculptures, paintings and other works of art that have been made by the Akanaba family, as well as given to them by their allies as gifts. On the floor of the Sanctuary, the summoning circle had been painted with the blood of some roosters. Reo stood behind his son, who was prepared to begin the ritual. Reira is a sixteen year old boy with short gray hair, dark eyes, palish skin, and slim build. He wore a black shirt, combat boots, shorts and black gloves. His father was a tall man with long gray hair. Reo wore an exquisite sorcerer robe, and as an arrogant nature.

"Yes, I have memorized the incantation, father." Reira replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I have developed a means by which you will be able to share some of your Servant's power." Reo answered. "All you need to do is add an extra two lines to the incantation."

"As you wish." Reira said.

After being given the new lines, Reira began the ritual. "Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill your mind, body and soul with nothing but your heart's truest desire. Share your ideals with me, along with your power. Together, the power we will share shall lead us to victory. Come forth, so that we may slay our enemies and each obtain our greatest dream. Now, I order you, appear before me!"

A purple smoke burst from the circle, spreading throughout the entire Sanctuary the moment Reira finished. This smoke smelled like a rotting corpse.

"Tell me, mongrel." A new voice spoke. Are you the one who wishes to aid me in the Holy Grail War. If so, I give you permission to speak and to gaze upon me."

Mere seconds later, the smoke disappeared and in the middle of the circle was a teenage boy were purple armor that faintly glowed. It had shoulder pads that each had a single spike sticking out of them, a thick chest plate, and completely covered his lower body. His hair was long and pink. His eyes were dark brown, and cold as ice. When Reira looked into them, he felt something similar to fear stir inside of him. At this person side, was the sheathe that was used for the summoning, only with a sword in it. Reira knew this man had to be the king of legend; Yuri, the Born Ruler. He also knew that this man was to be feared and respected. There was a powerful mystic presence emanating from him, one that was twisted and cruel.

"Yes, I seek to aid you in this Holy Grail War." Reira said, kneeling before him.

At that moment, a mark appeared on the back of his right hand, one that resembled a sword emerging from a rose with thorns surrounding it.

"What are you doing, Reira!?" His father shouted. "This is your Servant, not your master! He obeys you, not the other way around! Stand up and command him to respect you!"

"Silence, mongrel." Yuri said with disdain. "No one shall command me, for I am the one and only true king this world knows."

"How dare you speak to me that way!" Reo shouted. "You are but a tool for my son to use to win the Holy Grail War, so act like-"

Before Reo could finish, purple portal appeared over Yuri's head and a black vine with thorns shot out of it, then pierced Reo's heart. He died almost instantly, with an expression of confusion and horror on his face. Yuri turned to Reira, who kneeled down over his father.

"Why did you do that?" Reira asked flatly.

"I had grown tired of his insolence." Yuri replied. "What a fool. He seems to have died with a most boring face. He should never have even been allowed in my presence."

"I see." Reira said as he closed his father's open eyes.

"What will you do now boy?" Yuri asked. "I just killed your father, so will you seek to take my life out of a desire for revenge?"

"No," Reira replied. "Now, I simply want someone else to command me. To give me purpose."

"Huh, I see." Yuri said. "You are a most boring person, but I suppose I shall allow you the honor of serving me. Do you accept?"

"Yes, my king." Reira answered. "Please, my king, use me as you see fit."

Yuri sighed. "I hope this Holy Grail War will offer me some invigorating entertainment."

"Is that all you seek?" Reira asked. "You do not have a great wish that only the Holy Grail can grant?"

"Ofcourse not." Yuri replied. "All I have ever sought was entertainment in this game board we call Terra. That is why I waged so many wars. It was the most entertaining activity I could find back in those days. I can tell you do not understand, as you do not know things like desire."

"How could you tell, my Lord?" Reira inquired.

"A man's eyes can reveal everything about him to one who knows how to read them." Yuri replied. "Yours are the equivalent of a blank page. Such a sorry sight."

Reira was about to ask another question, when a roar suddenly echoed from outside the Sanctuary. Upon hearing it, Yuri's expression became fierce. Savage, even.

"So, my old enemy has returned to this world as well." Yuri said with a wild smirk. "There is no doubt that he is north of here. This is a joyous surprise!"

"How so, my Lord?" Reira asked. "Don't enemies hate each other and wish to eliminate each other's existences? So, shouldn't it be bad or frustrating for your enemy to revive?"

"No, for this enemy I did not get the chance to defeat in the past." Yuri replied. "It will be a pleasure to finally be able to kill him with my own two hands. Now, let us go, boy."

Yuri began to walk out of the Sanctuary, with Reira following him.

 _Just you wait,_ Yuri thought. _Our battle shall begin again, Yugo!_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Rider

In a seemingly deserted castle, the Insect Lord was going to summon the Great Dragon King as his Servant. He sat on his black throne as his insect slaves prepared the Summoning Ritual. They were human-sized, orange bugs with green saliva dripping from their mouths. Each insect was an exact copy of the others. The Insect Lord had long white hair, pale skin and a sinister smile. His fancy clothing was gold-colored with hints of black.

Long ago, the Insect had been seen as a genius sorcerer, specializing in engineering and manipulating life. However, he grew tired of the Magic Society's laws and restrictions, started conducting forbidden experiments, got caught and faked his own death. Now, he is the black market dealer known as the Insect Lord. He deals in everything from weapons to diseases to slaves. Despite being wealthy and prosperous, the Insect Lord does not feel satisfied. So, he planned to win the Holy Grail War to gain all the knowledge in the world.

Being a researcher at heart, the Insect Lord did not intend to perform a normal Summoning Ritual, but a modified version he had devised. As part of this modified summoning, the Insect Lord had collected all his unsold slaves in his castle. Almost all of them remained silent and terrified, except for one girl with short-green hair. Her name was Akiza Nakano, a former merchant's daughter that is nineteen years old. A year ago, she choose to join the army of a small country that was being invaded. Five months ago, she captured and sold into slavery.

Even after those five hellish months, Akiza remains defiant. Though, the rest of her body was dirty and bruised. Her red hair was messy and covered in mud. Her clothing consisted of a rag that barely covered her privates.

While she tried to think of a way to escape, the Insect Lord had one of his bugs carry the catalyst for the summoning to the circle. This catalyst was the very bones of the hero was summoning. All that was missing from the skeletal structure was the legs. Once they were placed in the same summoning circle, the Insect Lord began the incantation.

"Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill your mind, body and soul with nothing but your heart's truest desire. Fly across the sky with great majesty. Come forth, so that we may slay our enemies and each obtain our greatest dream. Now, I order you, appear before me!"

With that, a powerful roar reverberated throughout the whole castle and, perhaps, even throughout the entire country. A white mist burst from the summoning circle. However, this mist did not disperse; instead, it took the form of a dragon. Then, the mist started to glow with a golden light. It took on a different, much smaller form. When the light faded, an eighteen year old boy with blue-and-gold hair stood there. Akiza stared at this boy with unusual fascination. He was quite handsome, with a muscular body. He wore a white shirt with a red-and-yellow jacket. His pants had been torn away below the knees. His legs were covered with white scales and his feet were bare. This boy looked around at the caged slaves. He began to look utterly disgusted.

Akiza suddenly noticed that every other slave appeared to be unconscious. At least, she hoped they were unconscious. Unfortunately, that belief was shattered when she reached out and touched the individual in the cage next to hers. He crumbled into dust.

In order to complete his modified ritual, the Insect Lord needed the collective energy of many individuals. He had sacrificed all those people to gain an advantage in the Holy Grail War. Now, the Insect Lord was laughing with glee.

"Yes, yes!" He laughed. "Soon, with the power of the Holy Grail, I shall become a god!"

The summoned Servant said nothing. He walked over to Akiza. With a single wave his hand, the bars of the cage were cut down.

"What are you doing?" The Insect Lord asked, confused.

"I am the Dragon King, Yugo." He said to Akiza. "It will be an honor to fight beside you in this Holy Grail War, my master."

"Wait, what?!" The Insect Lord exclaimed. "I am your master! I possess the command seals that give me total power over you!"

At that moment, the Insect Lord realized the command seals had not appeared on the back of one of his hands. He grew very angry and confused. Could something have gone wrong with his summoning ritual? The thought of such an occurrence was quickly rejected. He believed himself to be one of the greatest sorcerers ever born. He could not have made such an error. Yet, this was still happening.

"Why the hell is she your master?!" The Insect Lord demanded. "For that matter, how can she even be your master?! It was I who summoned you!"

"Yes, you summoned me, but by sacrificing these people." Yugo replied without even looking at him. "However, you failed to realize that if any of them survived, I gained the ability to choose between them and you."

"What?!" The Insect Lord shouted in disbelief. "Wait, how did she survive? The ritual I invented should have drained the life-force of every piece slave scum I brought here! How could she have possibly survived?!"

"Simple," Yugo said. "Her spirit is stronger than your spell. Now, I will be leaving with my master. I suggest you refrain from trying to stop us."

"What was that?!" The Insect Lord's vein were starting to show.

"I have no problem slaying a villain like you." Yugo replied. "However, I would prefer to get my master a proper meal, a bath and clothes that suit her. Such things would be a fitting reward for the hardships she has endured."

"Um, thanks." Akiza said, not knowing what else to say.

"Why, you…" Never in his life has the Insect Lord felt such rage.

It was then that Yugo turned to face him. His fierce expression made the Insect Lord flinch. However, after he recovered, the Insect Lord allowed his rage to control his actions.

"Come forth, my creation!" He shouted. "Come, and rid me of this arrogant fool!"

With that, the castle shook with terrible might. The wall and the roof began to crumble. Yugo quickly picked up Akiza, then jumped through a window. Outside, they witnessed the entire castle fell apart. From its ruins, the Insect Lord's vile creations rose. Some were large blue beetles which hovered in the air. The others were the same kind as before, slowly marching across the land. One insect stood out from the rest; it was a large golden beetle that had a throne located where it's horn should be. The Insect Lord sat on that very throne.

"Look upon my mighty forces, you wretch!" The Insect Lord laughed. "Behold, the magnificence of my creations! Tremble with fear before my greatness!"

"You know, you pretend to be mighty animals but," Yugo looked directly at the Insect Lord. "Insects are just insects!"

Suddenly, a white flame burst out of the ground around Yugo. The flames took on the form of a dragon, then became a true dragon. It was larger than all of those insects combined. The dragon had white scales, sharp claws, majestic wings, and pure green eyes. On its head, sat Yugo and Akiza. When it roared, all the insects literally just turned around and tried to flee, but the dragon spat a powerful flame from its mouth, burning all of them, along with the Insect Lord, to ash.

"Woah." Akiza murmured. "What incredible power."

"This is nothing." Yugo said. "This was simply the elimination of a bunch of bugs. Not a true battle, like the ones I fought with Yuri. That guy may have been arrogant, but he was still a tough guy, as much as I hate to admit it."

"Okay." Akiza responded. "So, what now?"

"Well," Yugo said. "I guess we will go and prepare for the Holy Grail War. Oh, I did not ask your name?"

"Akiza." She replied. "Akiza Nakano. Now, I would really like an explanation."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Berserker

Long ago, there lived a warrior unlike any other. This warrior fought in what was known as the Infernal War. A war fought against demons from another realm, during which many heroes and countries joined forces. There was one warrior who stood out among those who fought in that war. This warrior made their appearance in the very first battle not only survived, they annihilated the opposing demon forces. The demons were not even allowed to flee; those who did were pursued by the warrior and eliminated.

Throughout history, there have been individuals who, under extreme stress, have awakened mystic powers. The warrior from that battle was one such individual. As the demon hordes unleashed hell upon the soldiers and a nearby village, this warrior discovered their powers. This warrior fought the demons fiercely at every opportunity, burning them to ash. Once the demons were driven back and the gates they used to cross worlds were sealed, this warrior continued to fight against any powerful they could. This individual had become a battle addict. Wielding a flaming sword, this warrior slayed the frost giants to the far north, over a thousand dragons, and toppled three militaristic countries. Then, the great warrior grew ill. Even sickened as they were, this warrior continued to fight. However, they stilled died of the sickness.

For a warrior who loved battle so, this was unacceptable. Fortunately for this individual, they could still fight again. In the Holy Grail War.

In the present day, a boy was suffering intense pain that would drive grown men mad. His name is Zane Kaiser, and he is a thirteen year old orphan. Most orphans in Koura either live on the streets, or work like slaves in the factories. There is also the chance they will get lucky and prove qualified to join the army. That is what Zane signed up for. Instead, he ended up being a guinea pig for a group of military sorcerers.

"Tell me, do you jerks just do this because it's your job, or are you a bunch of sadistic-" Zane was unable to finish his remark because one of the sorcerers smacked him with a wooden staff.

"Be silent." The sorcerer commanded.

There was no true anger in the sorcerer's voice. Just annoyance, like that of a man complaining about a broken tool. As if he expected Zane to be a simple, silent and obedient subject of their experiments. Like a tamed animal. In fact, that was how the sorcerer felt; how all of them felt. They all saw Zane and his fellow captives as a simple means of conducting mystical experiments. These sorcerers did not recognize Zane and the others as human beings. Within the two weeks that Zane has been here, in their secret facility, he has witnessed the deaths of two dozen of his fellow subjects. Three literally exploded, their entire bodies becoming a green paste in the process. Four others cough blue flames as their insides were burned to ash. One girl slowly became transparent, then disappeared a day later.

The day he arrived, tied up and gagged, the sorcerers injected various liquids into him. With each injection, a new form of suffering was inflicted. The first made his whole body feel like it was on fire. The next one made Zane feel completely disconnected with his body. The one after that caused him to feel as if his entire body was being crushed. This continued for some time. All the while, those heinous sorcerers watched with vague interest.

Today, the sorcerers seemed to be planning something big. They are taking everyone out of their cells and moving them inside a large magic circle. Not a single individual was being spared. Zane felt a deep unease about this. The night before, he had overheard some of the mages talking about all there current experiments being halted so that the "guinea pigs" could be used by the head of the magic research department. While that was all Zane heard, he could not escape this certainty that all of them were going to be sacrificed for one of those damn magic experiments. This is why he tried to escape from the lab that day. Zane rushed at the sorcerers that opened the cage and used a knife he had stolen a week early. He managed to stab one of them. However, Zane quickly realized that he only succeeded in that because he was lucky. Before Zane even had a chance to run, another sorcerer was able to cast a paralyzing spell. In an instant, Zane's was on the ground, his hopes for escape crushed.

Pain surged through him, to every cell in his body. As his pain grew, so did his anger. Once, Zane had been willing to fight for Koura, to go through terrible battles. Instead, he was reduced to being a guinea pig, something less than human. Zane felt a fierce hatred burn inside of him. One of the sorcerers reached down to grab Zane. Once his hand was close enough, Zane bit it. He put so must force into that bite that not only did he taste blood, but he may have broke a finger or two.

"You piece of filth!" The sorcerer scream, then kicked Zane in the stomach.

Zane coughed up blood immediately after. The sorcerer noticed this, smirked, and kicked him again. He did it a couple of times before another sorcerer stopped him.

"Hey, you know the boss wants us to bring them to the magic circle alive." The second sorcerer said to the first. "I doubt he will like you wasting one, and you know what he does when he gets upset. Remember the Sixteenth Laboratory?"

The first sorcerer shudder, remembering something traumatic.

"Alright, but I am not healing this little bug." He said. "Not that it matters. Injured or healthy, he won't live to see tomorrow."

That confirmed what Zane had already guessed. He and the others were being sacrificed for one of these sadistic jerks experiments. All of them were going to die. The parts that Zane hated the most were that they could not live life on their terms and that they would not be remembered. How many decisions have any of them been able to make for themselves? They had been striped of their right to make choices. Zane could not remember anything he had decided to do that would be remembered. Their was nothing Zane has ever done that he could take pride in. He looked up at the sorcerer that was dragging him and gave him a look of utter hatred. The sorcerer did not even notice.

In about a minute, they reached the magic circle. The sorcerer literally throw Zane into the circle, delighted by the cruelty he was inflicting. Zane heard the cries of his fellow guinea pigs. Despite the pain throughout his body, Zane lifted his head to look around. He saw some of them were crying, others stared with blank expressions on their faces, and some lay on the ground utterly motionless, as if they were dead. Zane wanted to help them, to give them hope. Unfortunately, in his current condition, that was not possible.

"Damn it." He said, his throat aching as he did. "Damn it, I don't want to die like this. I want strength. I want to be strong enough to crush these sorcerers and this detestable country. I want… I want…"

Zane's vision was beginning to grow darker and darker. In a matter of moments, he could not see anything. His hearing followed and soon he could not feel anything. It was like he was floating in an empty, pitch black void. How long did he float there? It felt like an eternity. Then, a warmth surrounded him. The warmth was hot but did not burn. Actually, it was comforting. This warmth made Zane feel happy, confident and strong. When Zane opened his eyes, he saw someone standing over him.

Whoever it was, they were not a sorcerer. This person wore light metal armor covering their legs, torso, and chest. All of which were colored red. Their feet were bare and their arms had many scar over them. On their back, this person carried a jagged sword which seemed to glow with a yellow light. Once Zane saw this person's face, he could tell he was looking at a woman. Her eyes were bright yellow and her hair was scarlet. She was definitely beautiful but there was something about her presence that made Zane feel threatened. No, that is not correct. He felt strange, as if he were happy and nervous and afraid all at once. Strange, wanting to be near someone while at the same time wanting to run away from them. Very contradictory, but it was how he felt, nonetheless.

"Stand up, my Master." The woman said. "If you want to achieve your goals, stand up."

Zane still felt terrible pain throughout his whole body. However, something stirred inside of him. He believed what she said and wanted to stand. Using force of will, Zane began to stand up and as he finished he collapsed into the woman's arms. On the back of his right hand were red markings. Command Seals.

"Well done, young warrior." She said. "This is the beginning of your story. Now, I have some pests to get rid of."

Sorcerers who worked in the laboratory were at a loss to explain what had happened. Somehow, the magic circle had activated itself and the Berserker Class Servant that the Head of their organization intended to summon had appeared before he had even arrived. One thing they knew was that the Servant was looking at them with a menacing expression.

One hour later, the Head of the Military Magic Research Department, Darnic Von Aizen arrived at the laboratory Zane had been held in by carriage. However, there was not much left of it. The building had been reduced to rubble and there were charred corpses of the sorcerers who had been in the laboratory. All of the experimental subjects, the "guinea pigs," were gone.

The knights who had been assigned to escort him were stunned and horrified at this sight.

"What the hell happened?!" The captain of the knights exclaimed.

"I believe I know," Darnic said calmly from the carriage. "Such a shame. So many sorcerer and research material wasted. Not to mention, I wasted a trip. Captain, let us return to the capital."

"But, sire, should we not search for the party responsible for this?!" The captain asked.

"If we did, we would only meet the same fate as these poor individuals." Darnic replied. "Now, let us be on our way, I have much to do."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Archer & Assassin

Silvio Gouma, a stuck up prince, was growing rather impatient, waiting for Darnic to finish the magic circle Silvio would use to call forth his Servant. The prince had requested (more like demanded) that he be able to summon a powerful Servant. An artifact had been prepared for Silvio in advance. This artifact was a bloodstained arrow. The arrow was used by a legendary archer who killed an army of ten-thousand men all on his own. This archer was known by many names, but the most common was "Arrow of Fate." He served the king of a weak kingdom which came to face countless crises. Everything from famine to plague to war. The archer did everything he could to protect his homeland, but it all proved to be in vain. His country was destroyed and his king ordered him to escape with the king's daughter. He protected her for almost a decade, then met his end at the hands of a deadly disease. Truly, a tragic story.

Prince Silvio, however, did not care about the tragedy of the story. All he cared about was that this Archer would be a very formidable Servant. With him and the support the King of Koura had promised, Silvio was convinced his victory would be all but guaranteed. When he won the war, Silvio will have carved a place for himself in history. He planned to become a legend that people would still speak of a millennia later. _The great hero who defeated six powerful foes, obtained the Holy Grail, became king and married a beautiful princess,_ Silvio thought to himself. He could not help but smirk and laugh as he imagined his future.

As the prince dreamed of his future glory, the sorcerer Darnic Von Aizen was slowly and carefully preparing the Summoning Circle. He was using the blood of various animals with the arrow at the center of the circle. Silvio grew tired of his fantasies and yelled at Darnic to hurry up. From what Silvio has heard, Darnic has been the Head of the Military Magic Research Department for almost sixty years. Yet, he still looks no older than thirty. Darnic has long, black hair in a tight ponytail. His eyes are dark-gray and his skin is somewhat pale. The latter was probably because he spent most of his time in this dark basement that had once been a dungeon beneath the royal palace. Darnic wears a simple military officer's uniform. He also keeps his hands glove almost constantly to hide terrible burns. No one knows how Darnic burned his hands, but everyone is grateful he keeps them covered. Silvio found particularly hideous and he only saw them once.

"My prince, the circle is finished." Darnic said.

"It's about time!" Silvio replied as he approached the circle. "Now, give me the summoning spell. I am eager to meet the Servant that will help me write my legend."

Darnic bowed while holding out a scroll. Silvio grabbed the scroll abruptly. The spoiled prince read the scroll quickly and said the spell.

"Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill your mind, body and soul with nothing but your heart's truest desire. Come forth, so that I may achieve honor and glory beyond my wildest dreams. With thy aid, the power of wishes shall be mine. Now, I order you, appear before me!"

The instant Silvio stopped reciting the spell, red lightning erupted from the circle. This lightning moved in random directions around the room, at first. Silvio nearly fell backwards trying to avoid the lightning. After a minutes, the red lightning gathered in the center of the circle and took on a physical form. In an instant, the lightning became a man of flesh and blood. The man appeared to be in his early twenties, despite having only gray hair. His eyes were also gray with fierce determination behind them. He wore armor made of gold and white painted metals. His armor covered every part of his body, except his head. In his right hand, he held a wooden bow that had clearly been carved with the utmost precision.

"I am Aster Phoenix." He said. "In this Holy Grail War, I am of the Archer Class of Servants. I ask you, are thou my master."

"Showing Aster his newly acquired Command Seals, Silvio answered, "Yes, I am your master. You will aid me in my quest for the Holy Grail, Archer."

Aster nodded. "The contract is now sealed. Let us claim the Grail."

Silvio grinned. _Finally, my legend begins!_

Suddenly, one of the palace sentries burst into the room. Silvio scolded him, angry that his moment of glory had been spoiled.

"You fool!" Silvio shouted. "How dare you enter this disturb us! I could have you beheaded for this, you peasant!"

"A thousand apologies, my lord!" The sentry replied, bowing as low as he could. "I meant no disrespect! Please forgive me!"

Before Silvio could speak, Darnic said to him, "I do not believe you need be so harsh on this man. No doubt he came here to deliver some important news or inform us of an emergency. One should not be punished for such an act."

The sentry looked at Darnic in the way a dying man looks at someone who just saved them.

"Very well." Silvio said. "Now, tell us what you came here to say, peasant."

"Sire, someone has kidnapped Princess Elaine." The sentry informed them.

"What?!" Silvio exclaimed. "How did this happen?!"

"We are uncertain at this time." The sentry replied, becoming nervous from the furious way Prince Silvio was looking at him. "However, we believe that the kidnapper was a Servant."

Silvio could not believe what he was hearing. "How can this be?! An enemy Master has taken the princess! Darnic, I am going to take the lead in the search effort! That Servant and its Master will regret ever crossing me by taking what rightfully belongs to me!"

With that said, Silvio march out of the room, only to return when he realized that his Servant had not followed him.

"Archer! Come along!" Silvio ordered.

Since Archer had been summoned, he had been staring at Darnic. Unknown to anyone, even those most familiar with his legend, Aster Phoenix had a power. An ability to foresee the fate of whoever he laid eyes on. However, he could not see this man's fate. Also, Aster felt there was something eerie about Darnic. His instincts told him this sorcerer was dangerous. He made a mental note to be careful around him. As his Master grew more frustrated with him, Aster decided to hurry and follow him.

When there was no one left in Darnic's chamber, a figure literally emerged from his shadow. This individual wore a red kabuki mask over their face, a long black coat and had red hair. Not an millimeter of this person's skin was visible. He moved in front of Darnic with making the slightest sound. He did not even seem to be breathing.

"Assassin, what do you have to report?" Darnic asked.

"My Master, it seems that the Servant who abducted the princess was summoned by the girl in question." His voice was in a monotone.

"Why in the world would she wish to participate in the Holy Grail War?" Darnic inquired.

"I am unsure," Assassin replied. "However, every has a wish they want granted. It would seem she believes that to have her wish realized, she must win the Holy Grail War."

Darnic let out a hearty laugh. "What a foolish girl! The Holy Grail War is not something a spoiled princess could possible survive, let alone win!"

"Am I to assume we will be going after her first?" Assassin asked.

"No, no." Darnic said. "We have the little prince deal with her. He wants to marry her so he can takeover Koura as its new monarch. No matter what she wants, Silvio will never allow her to run away. He will force her to marry him. The two of them will, without a doubt, fight each other to the death to achieve their wishes."

"You are a wise man, Master." Assassin said. "So, what will be our first move."

"First, I will need to test my new creation." Darnic replied. "For that, we will need another living Master and a corpse. I already have a corpse prepared. Can you procure a Master for me?"

"Yes, I will go now." Assassin answered, then disappeared into the shadows.

Alone again, Darnic made an evil smirk, thinking of his plans.


End file.
